Dr. Praful Pandey

Performed at the clinic under local anaesthetic, usually from the back of the hip. It is used to diagnose blood cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, to investigate unexplained low blood counts, and to check response to treatment.

The procedure itself takes around twenty minutes. You can eat beforehand, and you can go home the same day — though it helps to have someone with you.

A peripherally inserted central catheter is a soft, thin tube placed into a vein in the upper arm and threaded towards a large central vein. It spares the smaller veins of the hand and forearm during long courses of chemotherapy, and allows blood samples to be taken without repeated needle pricks.

We insert and maintain PICC lines here and will teach the family how to look after the line at home.

Sampling of an accessible lump or lymph node — either a fine needle aspiration for cells or a core biopsy for a piece of tissue. Samples are sent for histopathology, and where required, for immunohistochemistry or molecular testing at accredited reference laboratories.

Drainage of fluid from the abdomen or the chest, both to relieve breathlessness or discomfort and to send fluid for analysis. Done at the clinic where the volume is modest and the patient is stable; where it is not, we will arrange it at hospital rather than attempt it here.

Regimen selection, dose calculation, pre-chemotherapy assessment and blood count monitoring happen at the clinic. Day-care chemotherapy infusions themselves are given at hospital, and we coordinate the scheduling so that you are not repeating consultations.

Germline and tumour genetic testing — including BRCA and other hereditary cancer panels — arranged through accredited laboratories, with the counselling that should accompany the result rather than a report handed over without explanation.